Yesterday, we reported that Jill Duggar may be using birth control, despite the fact that contraceptives go against her religious beliefs.
We think even Jill’s ultra-conservative parents will forgive her in this case, however, as she and husband Derick Dillard are currently performing missionary work in El Salvador.
The country is experiencing an outbreak of the mosquito-born Zika virus, which is known to cause severe birth defects in the children of infected mothers.
The government of El Salvador has issued a warning stating that residents should avoid getting pregnant until 2018 in order to effects of the illness.
Jill and Derick have already cut their missionary trip short once, thus forcing them to return an undisclosed amount in donations.
Obviously, the couple would like to avoid returning home ahead of schedule a second time, but a young, married woman going multiple years between pregnancies is virtually unheard of in Duggar Land.
Now, however, it looks as though the Dillards may as well stay put, as Zika has been detected in their home state of Arakansas as well.
Now the question is, will the virus prevent Jill’s sister Jessa from going forward with her second pregnancy?
As you probably know, Jessa gave birth to her first child back in November, and she’d reportedly been planning to try for a second child within the next six months.’
Now, it’s unclear if it will be safe for her to do so.
Arkansas public health officials have not yet cautioned women against getting pregnant, but Zika has considerably increased the likelihood of birth defects in every other part of the world where it’s been detected.
Fortunately, Jessa has discussed her desire to adopt in the past, and it seems like that may be her safest option at the moment.
As for Jill and Derick, they may as well focus on their work in El Salvador, because it looks like their plans to expand their family will simply have to wait.
